Twine-cutter.



No. 703,484. Patented .luly I, |902.

l. sHAFEn.

TWINE CUTTER.

(Application led, Apr. 28. 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet L Patented .lilly l, |902. l. SHAFER. v

TWINE GUTTER. (Appuatiun md Apr'. 2e, 1902.)

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(llo Modem UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

IRA SHAFER, OF AFTON, IOWA.

TWINE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,484,`dated July 1, 1902.

Application filed April 28, 1902.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, IRA SHAFER, a citizen v of the United States, residing at Afton, in the county of Union and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Twine-Cutters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactl description of the invention, such aswill en-' able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andluse the same.

The invention relates to twine-cutters.

The object of the inventionlis to provide a device of this characterfwhich shall be simple of construction, durable in use, comparatively inexpensive of production, efficient in action, and by lneansiof which any given amount of twine after being unrolled fromthe ball may be expeditiously severed and then leave projected from the cutter a piece of the twine to be grasped when it is again desired to unwind from the ball.

lWith this and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will behereinaiter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective-view showing* my improved twine-cutterlin its normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing'thetwine-cutterin the act of severing theA twine.v Fig. 8 is a rear view of a fragment of the'base ofthe twine-cutter; and Fig.L iis a longitudinal vertical sectional view through thebase and the hinged arm,1taken on thelineof passage of the twine through the base, hinged arm, and cutter-head.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the base,which is-provided withatWine-opening 2.

et denotes asemicircular recess, the base 5 of which is arranged in' aA horizontal plane.

6 denotes two lugs, and 7 denotes an angular arm pivoted between said lugs and having a tubular portion 8 and provided with a' cutterhead 9, which has anaperture 10, co1nmurii' eating with the tubular portion.

11 denotes a cutter-blade pivoted to the cutter-head at 12 and adapted with its edge to cross the aperture 10 and sever the twine. A spring 13 is employedy to exert its energy Serial No. 105,101. (No model.)

.to force the blade away from the' aperture 10 and against the stop 14.

ldenotes a crank-shaft journaled in bearings 17. 'One end off the crank-shaft is connected by a chain vor other flexible connection 18 to an extended end of the blade, and

the other end of they crank-shaft is connected by a chain or other flexible connection 19 to the base, so that when the free end of the arm 8 is swung downwardly the sag in the chain 19 will be taken up and said chain stretched, whereby the shaft 16 will be rocked and will, through its chain connection 18 with the blade, cause the blade to traverse the aperture 10 and sever the twine.

2O denotes two stiff coil-springs connected tothe base and to the free end of the arm 8 and -are designed to restore the arm from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, and when the arm is drawn backward by theses'prings it will strike a buffer 21, secured to the base.

22 denotes a tension device which consists of a plate'23, pivted at one end, as shown at 24., to the back of the base and having its outer end projecting forwardly and connected t0 a spring'25, the lowerend of which is secured to a pin or staple 26, projecting from the-edge of the base. This plate is provided with a stop-lip 27 which-bears upon the fiat -base 5 off the semicircular recess't and-exerts a pressure upon the twine as it is being drawn through the aperture 28 of said plate.

29 ldenotes anexpansible and compressibleguide preferably in the form of a guidespring, one endV of which is secured to the baseand the other end of which is secured to the arm 8 and registers with the tubular portion thereof. This guide is adapted to bridge the space formed between the arm and arm and through the cutter-head. When it is desired to sever a piece of twine, the projecting end of the twine is grasped and pulled in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. l until the desired alnount has been unwound from the ball. Now by pulling downwardly upon the twine the swinging arm will be swung from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2, thus tightening the chain 19, causing it to rock the shaft 1G, and forcing the knife across the aperture l0 in the cutting-head. The twine isthus severed, and in the upward movement; of the swinging arm the blade will be withdrawn from across the aperture in the cutter-head, and the end of the twine within the tubular portion of the arm is projected through the opening in the cutterhead to enable it to be grasped when it is desired to be again unwound from the ball. In order to limit the downward movement of the swinging arm, I provide a stop-chain 30, one end of which is connected to the swinging arm and the other to the base-plate. This chain is of such length that when it becomes taut the knife will traverse the aperture lO.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiring an extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, is

l. In a twine-cutter, the combination with a suitable base and a twine-tension device, of an angular arm hinged to the base and provided with a tubular portion through which the twine is adapted to pass, a knife pivoted to the outer end of the arm, a connection between the knife and the base-plate whereby when said arm is swung downwardly the knife will be actuated to sever the twine, and an expansible and compressible guide extending from the tension device to the tubular portion of the arm and adapted to bridge the space between said arm and the base when the arm is swung downwardly, substantially as set forth.

2. In a twine-cutter, the combination with a suitable base and a twine-tension device, of an angular spring-actuated arm hinged to the base and provided with a tubular portion through which the twine is adapted to pass, a knife pivoted to the outer end of the arm, a connection between the knife and the baseplate whereby when said arm is swung downwardly the knife will be actuated to sever the twine, and an expausible and compressible guide extending from the tension device to the tubular portion of the arm and adapted to bridge the space between said arm and the base when the arm is swung downwardly, substantially as set forth.

3. In a twine-cutter, the combination with a suitable base and a twine-tension device, of an angular spring-actuated arm hinged to the base and provided with a tubular portion through which the twine is adapted to pass, means for limiting the downward movement of said arm, a knife pivoted to the outer end of the arm, a connection between the knife and the base-plate whereby when said arm is swung downwardly the knife will be actuated to sever the twine, and an expansible and compressible guide extending from the tension device to the tubular portion of the arm and adapted to bridge the space between said arm and the base when the arm is swung downwardly, substantially as set forth.

4. In a twine-cutter, the combination with a suitable base having an opening, of a tension device consisting of an apertured plate hinged to the base and having a lip projecting from the base of the opening` a spring for exerting pressure upon the plate to hold the lip against the base of the opening, an angular spring-actuated arm hinged to the base and provided with a tubular portion through which the twine is adapted to pass and with a cntterhead having an opening through which the end of the twine is adapted to project, a springactuated knife pivoted to said head, and a connection between said knife and the base whereby when said arm is swung downwardly the knife will traverse the opening in said head, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IRA SI-IAFER. Witnesses:

JN0. H. VAN Scor, W. E. POSTER.

IOC 

